Briefing Note 31.08.11
ADULT SOCIAL SERVICES - WEEKLY BRIEFING NOTE
Date: 31 August 2011
Dear Councillors and Colleagues,
Main developments
Budget Workshops
Here is the updated list of workshops in DASS premises which have been organised to help people take part in the ‘Budget Simulator’ exercise, which went ‘live’ at last week. More are available at other locations around Wirral, but the workshops below are specifically targeted at our department.
The Leader of the Council is asking all Wirral residents how they would control our budget by using an online budget simulator. Using a series of pop-up boxes and an adjustable slider, people will be able to tell the Leader how they would make savings, where they would invest and how they would choose their budget for 2012. Council staff will be visiting day centres, libraries and one stop shops throughout Wirral to help people use the simulator – a series of dates for our facilities is attached below – why not go along and have a go?
Budget Simulator Workshop Events:
Monday Sept 12: Rock Ferry Adult Learning Centre, 12-2pm
Thursday Oct 6: Dale Farm, Heswall, 12-2pm; Willowbank, 3-5pm
Monday Oct 10: Cambridge Road Day Centre, 3-5pm
Tuesday Oct 11: Highcroft Day Centre, 3-5pm
Thursday Oct 13: Heswall Day Centre, 12-2pm; Pensby Wood Day Centre, 3-5pm
Monday Oct 17: Rock Ferry Adult Learning Centre, 12-2pm;
Tuesday Oct 18: Riverside Day Centre, 3-5pm
Thursday 20: Union St Day Centre, 12n-2pm; Everyone’s Café 3-5pm
Monday Oct 24: Moreton Day Centre 3-5pm
Tuesday Oct 25: Eastham Day Centre, 3-5pm
Thursday Oct 27: Prenton Day Centre, 12-2pm; Beaconsfield Day Centre, 3-5pm
Friday Oct 28: Sylvandale, 12-2pm; Girtrell Court, 3-5pm
Monday Oct 31: Mendell House, 3-5pm
Thursday Nov 3: Leasowe Adult Learning Centre, 12-2pm.
More info from: If you need further help taking part, please contact the Council on 0151 606 2030.
Neighbourhood Plans
A reminder that between now and October, the Council is speaking to community groups and residents about what they want in their Neighbourhood Plan. Get involved in the process by completing and returning a questionnaire, available from children’s centres, libraries, One Stop Shops, leisure centres and other Council offices. Alternatively, visit email or call 0151 691 8650 to speak to someone and they will make sure that your views are logged.
CADT Changes
From the 1st September there will be a social worker based in CADT from DASS to offer advice and consultation to agencies and members of the public on how to manage contact and referrals on adults at risk. This follows a thorough review of referrals of the last year into DASS and consultation with partner agencies such as the Police, Fire and Rescue and Ambulance services. Agreement was reached with partners at the Safeguarding Adult Partnership Board who confirmed their agreement with the Director on the step changes. This will offer members of the public and others calling the opportunity to talk directly with a social worker on how cases can be managed by either making a safeguarding alert of directing the enquiry to a support agency where no investigation is deemed necessary. The SAPB will monitor the introduction of this process to ensure that the planned improvements are taking place and take into account the wishes and views of users of the service. A report will be available within the first 6 months of the introduction of the new process and disseminated to staff and others.
STAR Service (Short Term Assessment and Reablement)
Following the changes which took place in March, home-based assessment and reablement is now being provided by the Department of Adult Social Services in partnership with independent sector providers. As part of the changes the service is now being delivered via four separate teams organised around the locality structure and one within ArroweParkHospital. The locality STAR teams have now located into Liscard in Wallasey, Rock Ferry in Birkenhead, and Eastham in West Wirral. All staff have been issued with new IT equipment which will provide more efficient assessment for individuals receiving the service. These moves will also promote closer working relationships with social workers and Assessment Support Officers within the access teams and also the community nursing service. The fourth team will be based at ArrowePark and work is already underway for their move which is likely to take place at the end of September.
Day Services
We continue to work to improve all the day services and daytime provision across Wirral. To this end we are currently working with several centres to improve the physical environment as well as ensuring that the service meets the needs of the people using the service. For example we are currently working with the team and advisory group at Pensby Wood to get the hydrotherapy pool up and running as this is a vital part of the service provided.
However, whilst such improvements are a positive it appears that there are some rumours circulating that are not only untrue but actually fly in the face of what we are trying to achieve. One such rumour relates to Moreton Centre (Special Care Unit), as part of our ongoing commitment to improve the centres we have been doing a piece of work with people attending there. This was discussed prior to the work starting with the Moreton Advisory Group who were supportive. However, there is a rumour circulating that this work means the centre is about to close which is not true. When rumours like this are given currency, I think it is important that we set out the truth of the matter.
I am, as ever, very keen that we continue to work together with people who use services and carers positively and I re-iterate my intention that there will be full discussion and consultation around any proposals that we develop for day services in the future but it is not my intention to close a centre that is a viable, valued resource and needed by the people who attend it.
Important diary dates
Girtrell Court
Girtrell Court is holding a Summer Fete on Saturday 3rd September from 1.30 – 4.30 please pop along to support them and enjoy yourself at the same time!
West Kirby Clean up
A clean up of West Kirby beach has been organised on Thursday September 22 from 10.30am to 12.30pm to publicise the highly successful partnership work that has been taking place at various local beauty spots over a number of years involving people who our Day Centres, plus staff and volunteers, and the Parks and Countryside service, who work together at Wirral beauty spots and public areas litter picking and helping keep them clean and presentable. Further info from 342 6402
We would like to include important diary dates in future editions of this briefing note; if you have any you would like to see included please email them or ring
Further information about individual facilities or services can be obtained from:
- Head of Service Provision
- Principal Manager, Care Services
- Service Manager, Care Services
Howard Cooper CBE